“Vanishing Antarctic Sea Ice Sparks Concerns of More Storms in the Southern Ocean”
Vanishing Antarctic sea ice could lead to more storms in the Southern Ocean, according to new research. Scientists have discovered that reduced Antarctic sea ice coverage in 2023 caused the ocean to lose extra heat to the atmosphere, potentially disrupting ocean circulation currents and leading to more frequent storms in areas where sea ice coverage has declined.
In 2023, ice coverage dropped significantly in four key areas: the Bellingshausen Sea, the outer Weddell and Ross seas, and Enderby Land. The Bellingshausen Sea and the outer Weddell and Ross seas saw a decrease of up to 80% in sea ice coverage, while Enderby Land experienced a drop of up to 50%. While the full dataset from 2024 is not yet available, the continued low coverage suggests an ongoing trend of diminishing sea ice.
Study co-author Simon Josey, an oceanographer at the National Oceanography Centre in the U.K., stated that it is too early to determine if the record-breaking sea ice decline in 2023 marks a fundamental shift in Antarctic sea ice levels. However, the study does indicate extreme conditions to be expected in future years of low ice regrowth, with 2024 showing a continuation of the sharp change seen in 2023.
To understand the impact of this drastic sea ice loss, researchers analyzed heat flux between the air and sea, as well as changes in ice coverage from Antarctica in 2023. The study, published in the journal Nature, revealed that the newly exposed ocean surface lost heat nearly one and a half times faster than in previous years.
The increase in heat loss could have significant consequences, such as cooling water near the ocean surface, causing it to become denser and disrupting deeper ocean currents and circulation in the Southern Ocean. This disruption could potentially release deeper warm waters that would normally be kept away from ice by an insulating surface layer, leading to increased sea ice melt in the future.
Changes in heat flux between the ocean and the atmosphere could also contribute to more frequent storms over Antarctica as the atmosphere absorbs more heat. Researchers found an increase in stormy days in June and July 2023 compared to previous years, with some regions experiencing up to seven additional stormy days per month.
Previous research suggests that Antarctic sea ice melting could also impact temperatures globally. Study co-author Andrew Meijers, an oceanographer with the British Antarctic Survey, emphasized the need to continue studying the link between Antarctic sea ice loss, ocean heat loss, and changing weather patterns, as these changes could have far-reaching effects on weather and climate beyond Antarctica.